Speed Actor
by MumblePhantomFox
Summary: When the Racer brothers are occupied, the shadow commitee sees it as a valuable opportunity.  Warning: Minor Strong Language
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is a little story I wrote from this wierd idea I got. It takes place after "The Hour Glass." Hope you enjoy it!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1.<strong>

At nearly 180 miles per hour, the thrilling roar of the Mach 6's gasless engine filled Speed's ears. Even though he got to experience it what seemed like every day, the young racer never grew tired of driving. It was his true passion.

Speed glanced over at the holographic view as it popped up next to him, displaying Professor Aniskov. Speed was demonstrating a lesson with X, Annalise and the Deuceys during their Offensive Driving class. "The virtual track has many built in dangers, most of which are completely random. However, if you can see where one might be coming from, you can use it against your opponent," he said, his flat voice firm and clear.

Speed glanced around as two bolts of lighting sent up small clouds of dust, one striking the reddish dirt up ahead and off to the side of the course, the other shattering the limbs of a small cactus somewhere behind him. "In Lightning Alley, your natural weapons, as well as dangers, are cacti, boulders and lightning. You five, see if you can knock out your opponents using your surroundings to your advantage." The hologram fizzled and changed, the professor's face replaced with Connor's.

"Speed, this is a tricky one. Be super careful; I think Annalise is planning something!" the mechanic advised. Not very surprised, he looked off to the side at his rear view mirror, frowning as he saw Annalise's pink car in it plainly. The twin's car had split, and they boxed him in at the side and to the right of his rear. Jared on one side and a steep ridge on the other had him locked in place. The Spoiled Brat pulled in further beside him as the rise on his left lowered until it blended into the flats. X was keeping the pace about 2 seconds ahead of them, seeming to be watching to see how this was going to go down.

"You better not get pink on my car!" Speed remarked, grinning as he pushed the gas further to the floor, trying to pull ahead a bit. His opponents kept a steady pace beside him, not giving up very easily. Jared veered off as Annalise slammed the front of her car into the back of the Mach 6. Irritated as his car fishtailed to the right, Speed wildly tried to get back in control as his car tried to spin, drifting sideways. "Speed!" Connor exclaimed on the screen of his holograph as he narrowly avoided getting fried, the back of the Mach 6 swinging around until he was backwards as a bolt of lightning shot down where he was only a second ago. Slamming on his brakes, Speed stopped the car, shooting forward towards his steering wheel until he stopped and was flung back in his seat. As she passed, he saw Annalise punch her steering wheel in agitation.

Suddenly determined, he flipped the car around and floored the gas to catch up, skidding until his classmates were in view. They were clearly advancing on X, his car barely visible in front of the Deuceys'. "Oh no you don't…" he said quietly to himself, shifting gears and speeding up until he was just behind them. He leaned forward, looking up around the roof of his car to examine the dark black clouds blocking out the sky above him. Something sparked in them, and he grinned. Leaning back in his seat, he sharply bumped the rear of the green car just before it could split. Backing up a bit, he watched as Jared and Jesse spun out of control, slamming into Annalise. She squealed in surprise as she lost control as well, lightning striking the roof of her car just as Speed had planned, while the Deuceys continued to slide, skidding into a rock which caused them to flip. Both of the cars where ejected from the track, along with their cursing drivers.

Speed pumped his fist in triumph as Aniskov invaded his com again. "Thank you boys, that's enough." A steep chasm housing the portal rose on either side. X sped through first, Speed hot on his tail. The Mach 6's brakes squealed as it came to a stop, allowing Speed to get out of his car and remove his helmet.

"Thanks for the save bro," X said. "But I could've wasted them without your help." Speed laughed and his brother grinned. They perked up as the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Connor hopped past them joyfully.

"Yayeee! Rehearsal time!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

1 WEEK EARLIER

"Oh my gosh, Speed! Did you hear about the reenactment?" Connor bounced hyperactively in his seat, his eyes wide with excitement. X growled next to him, mumbling to himself. The mechanic had been jittery and excitable ever since Headmaster Spritle had announced that they were going to try a play to honor Speed Racer. Half of the school was buzzing and anticipating the auditions, a fourth secretly wanting to audition though they shunned the idea out loud and the rest hating the idea of something like it at a racing academy.

Speed groaned and narrowly stopped himself from face-planting into his lunch. He propped up his head on the table, the tip of his fork grazing along the surface of his mashed potatoes. "Yes Connor. I heard about it when everybody else in the school did," he sighed. On the outside, he didn't care much, though he was hoping he could try and be his father. After all, they were choosing people that looked like the actual person as well as who was best at the audition, and as far as he knew, he was the spitting image of his father, and just as good of a racer.

It was pretty obvious that Connor was probably going to end up behind the scenes, building cars similar to the real ones or programming settings into the virtual track. Anyone in the school who wanted to take part was ensured one, whether it was a main or background. They need as many people as they could get to be audiences for the races they were going to highlight, as well as the many citizens or bystanders of the events.

"This whole play thing is gay," X said flatly, glancing at Connor through narrowed eyes. Speed smiled a bit at the hidden hope in his brother's eyes. "You wanna be Racer X, don't you?" he mocked, grinning. "Alright, three things; One, I need to start hanging out with cooler people. Two, shut up. You know you want to play dad. And Three…" he replied boldly, pausing and getting quieter. "…so what if I do?

He was shocked at how X read his thoughts. Glancing off to the side and lowering himself, he ate a few bites in silence, his cheeks flushing pink as Connor and Lucy burst out laughing at the racer brother's short argument.

It was the day after the auditions, and the behind the scenes crew, called the 'Nerd Squad' by some of the more popular kids, had already been announced. As he had thought from the beginning, Connor and Mitch were in charge of the small team making the cars. Headmaster Spritle and Professor Aniskov were the ones programming the virtual track to make the various settings they would need, and Professor Winn was going to direct the whole thing.

Connor was doing a happy dance when Headmaster Spritle popped up on the projectors around the school. Startled, he jumped at Speed who caught him in his arms, but was knocked over at the unexpected force. The breath was knocked out of him, and he sputtered and coughed as Connor got off of him. X offered him a hand to help him up and a shoulder for support until he caught his breath. They looked up at the large projection near the ceiling on the side of the cafeteria, and everyone else there seemed to do the same.

"As I'm sure you've all been anxiously wondering about, it's time to announce the parts assigned for the Speed Racer reenactment. If you don't get a main part, keep in mind that there are other minor roles that anybody who shows up and is able to play. A big thanks to all who auditioned!"

"Playing as Speed Racer is Speed Racer Junior!" Speed's eyes glittered and he grinned, not even caring that his uncle had just called him 'Junior' in front of the whole school. "Playing as Trixie is Dana Holland!" Speed looked around for her, but didn't see anybody cheering and figured that whoever it was wasn't there at the moment. He shrugged as Spritle continued. "Pops Racer with be played by Darron Albany! Mom Racer will be played by Susana Windlo! Wilson Sparkolemew will be played by Evan Smith! Racer X will be played by X Racer!"

"YEAH!" X exclaimed, high-fiving Speed until he noticed people staring and straightened his back. "I mean, yay. I get to be in the play…" he corrected himself, glancing around in embarrassment. Speed chuckled and returned his gaze back up to the projector. "All of the named parts are on a handout that your teacher next class will pass out to you. The first rehearsal will be in three days. Thank you to all who decide to participate!"

The projector fuzzed and vanished, leaving the students to resume their previous activities.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.**

Turns out, it wasn't pure torture to have Dana as a girlfriend, even if it was fake. Speed almost liked her, but couldn't imagine dating anyone. The only real crush he had had was on that car jacker back when he was still a relatively new student, and though he did like Lucy a bit more than just as a friend, he wasn't ready to admit it.

It was the second day of instruction, the first having been a few days ago. It wasn't much of a rehearsal, they only reviewed the general happenings, such as him passing out from high speeds and then getting terrified of them, or getting a concussion and then narrowly winning a race with the help of the masked racer and the like. For the most part, the actors were going to stick to a strict personality and react how they thought the actual person would rather than having to memorize tons of lines.

Speed took the whole thing even a bit too seriously, working hard in his free time memorizing the plot or reciting any specific lines he had. It almost bothered X, but Speed's argument was always the same; "Would you rather I make dad look like a retard?"

All of the actors chosen were strikingly similar to the old smudged photos, and he couldn't wait until the actual performance when they would all try on their full outfits. The entire thing had been advertised like crazy, and he expected a large audience. The thought only made him even more nervous to the point where he found it harder and harder to get to sleep at night.

Anxiously, he walked down to the garage where Connor was hard at work with Mitch and 5 other people on making the cars. His eyes shimmered a bit brighter as he saw the unfinished Mach 5. If it wasn't so essential to the car's design, they would've just repainted the Mach 6, but it had the possibility of limiting the gasless engine. As a result, they were building a duplicate with a few features including the saws, grip tires and the homing robot. Mitch and Connor had been working on it nonstop, and it was nearly finished. Most of the students that would be racing would be using their own cars, but there were still several custom ones that had to be built, plus a few gadgets such as the helicopter that would be used mostly by Trixie and Sparky.

Speed marveled at the finished Shooting Star as he passed it. It was sleek and tapered to a rounded point at the hood much like the Mach 6, but much smoother. The yellow and black paint looked fresh, and the roof had been left off so X would be able to leap in and out easily. The unpainted and almost entirely unfinished GRX was next to it, three guys working on it while the other two polished off the Shooting Star. He stopped near the Mach 5, examining it with approval sparkling in his eyes.

"How's it going Connor?" he asked in a friendly tone. Connor lifted his head a little out of the engine he was working on. "Huh? Oh hey Speed! It's coming along great. We'll have it done in a day or two tops," the mechanic said cheerily before shoving his head back down under the hood. Mitch was hard at work beneath the car, seeming satisfied that he was helping make such a fabulous car, even if it was only a prototype. Speed knelt down for a second to look under it before traveling over to the side. It was topless as well, and he could easily see inside. The red leather was stretched tight and inviting over the seats and the steering wheel had all of its buttons, though he doubted that they all worked yet.

He shifted uneasily where he stood at the thought of driving it, remembering with a shudder how he had nearly wiped the original Mach 5 off of the face of the earth until his father had repaired and put it back together. Dismissing his thoughts, he exited the garage and left them to their work.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.**

It was past 4 in the morning.

Both Connor and Speed were so psyched that they were wide awake, quizzing each other on what they needed to know or bouncing around excitedly. They had to get all three finished cars to the track at 4:30, then it would become hectic. The reenactment officially started at 6:00, and for Speed, that was eons away. "Ok. Quiz; Button A!" Connor drilled, Speed's face determined as he answered steadily. "JACKS!"

"Button B!"  
>"GRIP TIRES!"<br>"C!"  
>"AHH!"<br>"No silly, it's the saws!" Connor laughed as Speed was startled, nearly causing himself to slam against the wall. "Crap, X! Don't scare me like that…" he complained, his face turning red. His brother was standing in the doorway, an eyebrow raised. "You nutcases are loud; you know that?" he grumbled, though he couldn't help but smile as Speed fidgeted nervously. X rolled his eyes and walked over, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Man, what if I mess up?" Speed wondered out loud, genuinely worried and with every right to be. "You aren't going to. Besides, how could you possibly mess up unintentionally?" X reasoned, patting his brother firmly on the back.

Suddenly, Connor squealed with excitement. "It's 4:32!" Speed bolted for the door, immediately wishing he hadn't. Unable to open it fast enough, he slammed into it before squeezing out with Connor and practically flying down stairway after stairway to the garage. X followed them at a much slower pace. "I call the GRX!" Speed called down at the garage. "Shooting star!" Connor answered as Speed climbed into the pale golden car and Connor threw himself over the window and into the driver's seat of the Shooting Star. X entered and hopped into the prototype Mach 5, grinning as he started it up. "Careful Speed, even the fake GRX still has a bit of power. You can do 200 without even realizing it," Connor warned his friend as he started the car, the distinct hum of its powerful engine echoing throughout the building.

They had all three cars in the virtual track and ready for use by 4:40. Afte they were ready, the Racer brothers went to meet up with the rest of the cast. First task was getting into the costumes. Speed tingled with excitement as he changed into the somewhat tight-fitting blue shirt, khaki slacks, dull red socks and brown shoes, completed by the genuine red racing bandana his father had left him and a mock pompadour hair style.

X didn't have to do much except put on his mask and jumpsuit, his hair already the right style for his part and everything else in ship shape. He was standing outside with Connor and most of the rest of the cast, waiting for the other main roles to finish dressing. Darron, Dana, Evan and Susana were all finished before Speed, who finished soon afterwards, trying to make it so that his helmet wouldn't screw up his hair too badly.

Finally, he was finished, performing his father's signature pose outside, his eyes big and glittering with excitement. "Holy _shit!_" X marveled. His brother looked almost exactly like their father, and you almost couldn't tell the difference until you heard how different his voice sounded. A skip in his step, he approached X. "Is this awesome or _what_?"

"I'm gonna go with awesome," X replied, considerably less hyper than his jittery little brother. Chim-Chim beeped and screeched at Speed's feet. The costumed racer looked down and noticed the robotic chimp playing with a small giggling child wearing dull red clothes and a cap that made his head look like a target at the right angle. "Aw! Who's this?" Speed pondered out loud, kneeling down a little. "That's Dana's baby brother. He's smart and cute, so he's gonna be little Spritle." X replied, looking down at the kid as he fumbled around with Chim-Chim. Speed began to stand and nearly fell over as Headmaster Spritle suddenly addressed them, but X saved him as he grabbed him by the wrist, and helped haul him to his feet. "Everyone, enter the Virtual Track. If you are taking your car with you, drive it in and you'll be directed to a place you can store it. Any main parts; follow Professor Aniskov and he shall lead you to where you need to go."

"Let's get this show on the road!" Speed said to himself, determination coating his voice as he slipped on the pair of golden yellow leather racing gloves that he had previously pocketed and stretched the fingers. "Literally!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5.**

As soon as he had gotten into the swing of things, acting as his father came as naturally as racing. They were already about 20 minutes into it, and Speed found that he enjoyed traveling around the virtual track's custom courses to go from place to place; he even forgot that it wasn't the real world from time to time. Practically the whole world was watching, or at least the part that was awake.

"Give those back!" Speed hollered as Darren took the wheel of the Mach 5. Treacherously, Speed took a split second to balance himself evenly on the window, before leaping off at one of the skilled motorcyclists. Seeing him coming, the cyclist slowed a bit as if to catch him, and though he was clinging on for dear life, he tried to reach for the brown suitcase that the cyclist had snatched. The student growled beneath him and tossed the case to another of the four cyclists.

Connor was watching the whole thing in his dorm, as he didn't have much further use. The cameras monitoring the different scenes were cleverly placed, and displaying the whole thing to the world on channel 12. He had dedicated at least most of his attentions to watching the broadcast, as well as answering comments that were being posted on various websites which were showing the live performance.

Killing a few minutes, Connor walked out of the dorm and traveled around a bit, glancing up as projectors all over the school showed the action. Finding a quality projection that suited his fancy, he sat and continued watching. Speed was already acting out his father's first race, driving skillfully with three students acting as bad guys hot on his tail, boxing him in from behind. "Give us your windshield, and we promise not to hurt you," one of them said, grinning evilly.

Connor was distracted from the presentation by what he thought was a shuffling noise. Somewhat alarmed, he rounded the corner. "Hello?" he called out, advancing forward down the hall as he thought he saw movement in the shadows. He shivered a bit as he noticed a figure, wearing mostly blue. "Lucy? Is that you?" Determined, he set a faster pace, following the stranger down the halls until they were running down to where the garages were. He had nearly caught up to the man when he turned sharply into the garage that housed the Mach 6.

Connor skidded to a halt and slowly walked into the doorway of the garage, flipping on a light switch before carefully walking into the garage, unsure of what to expect.

Unknown to Connor, the man he had been following was backed up against the wall beside the door, holding his breath and praying that the mechanic wouldn't notice him. Cautiously, he closed in on the student, getting closer until he was able to swiftly grab him from behind, slapping his hand over Connor's mouth and pressing the boy close to him.

"Shhh! Don't scream!" the man said in alarm as Connor panicked in his grip, struggling to free himself. "I'm not here to hurt you." Connor slowly began to calm down and stop struggling, though his eyes remained wide in alarm. The stranger released him, and he ran a few paces before whipping around and assuming a defensive pose. It was a broad shouldered and somewhat muscular man, a few inches taller than him. He was wearing fitting dirty denim jeans and a loose and slightly tattered white t-shirt beneath a lightly faded and unzipped long-sleeved jacket, a yellowish golden "G" embroidered on the left side of the chest area. His eyes were a striking deep blue and his hair was dark brown in color and looked as if it was messed up beneath his red and white ball cap. He appeared to be in his mid to late 40s.

"Who are you? Why are you here? What do you want?" Connor demanded, though fright still edged his voice no matter how hard he tried to sound tough. The man seemed calm, even relieved. "Thank goodness, I thought you might've been someone else…" he said, his voice deep, wise and comforting despite that it sounded a bit aged. "I see that you don't remember me. You're one of Speed's friends, right?" Connor eyed him suspiciously. "What's it to ya'?" The man smiled and removed his cap, smoothing down his hair a bit. Connor's eyes lit up. "Terribly sorry, Mr. Racer sir! I didn't recognize you in your disguise," he said apologetically as he recognized the man as Speed and X's father. "What are you doing here?"

The racing legend ruffled his hair and replaced his hat before pointing up at the small holographic projection in the upper corner behind them. "Just wanted to see the performance my little brother put together," he said simply. Speed was up on the screen, his face no different from any one of Connor's fifty Speed Racer posters. "Sorry Pops!" he said to himself, throwing the white helmet in his hands at the Mach 5's windshield, cracking what he didn't shatter before driving off, leaving the students that were previously after the plans to stand there, steaming to themselves. The real Speed Racer's face grew hot as he remembered smashing the windshield himself to save his father's plans. X would be coming in soon, introducing Racer X into the plot before they would skip to the Alpine race.

Connor blinked. "So why are you wearing that goofy disguise? When you came here before, you always just wore your normal clothes," he observed, looking Speed up and down. "There are too many people here for me to do that." Connor cursed himself, realizing how stupid that question was. "You can hide out in me and Speed's dorm, if you want," he suggested. Speed Racer nodded. "That would be great. Thanks."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: From here on, it'll probably be a little confusing as to which Speed I'm talking about. Just giving you a heads up; sorry I couldn't explain it better.  
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><p><strong>Chapter 6.<strong>

Connor was tingling with excitement. The real, actual Speed Racer was in his dorm! It had been a little over an hour since he had caught the racing legend down in the garage, and the play was going smoothly.

Connor was sitting on his bed hugging a pillow close to him while Speed was relaxing on his son's bed as the two watched the presentation nervously. They were at what would probably be the most dangerous part of the entire reenactment, even though it was ten times worst in real life. The red helicopter, piloted by Trixie and Sparky's actors, had half of the Mach 5 dangling off a cliff. It was horribly suspenseful as the rope threatened to break. Speed had been flung out of the car and was dangling off the end it, desperately holding onto the spoiler with one hand and groping for a better hold with the other. He looked genuinely terrified as the Mach 5 was tugged back onto the ledge. As soon as it was safe, the helicopter landed, allowing Dana and Evan to rush out and tend to Speed, laying across the back of the Mach 5. He slid off of it, panting lightly.

"Oh Speed, are you alright?" Dana asked anxiously, playing her part as Trixie wonderfully. Speed nodded firmly.

As the scene played out, his father was watching rigidly. It was plain to see that aside from being worried that his son could've just dropped hundreds of feet to his death that this performance was bringing back memories, and right now, they weren't the best. They both jumped as somebody knocked on the door, exchanging glances, uncertain of how to react. "Who is it?" Connor asked loudly as Speed pulled down the bill of his cap until his eyes were obscured by shadow.

"It's just me, Connor." Lucy's voice sounded behind the door, and Connor sighed in relief. "Come in." The dark door slid open and Lucy walked in. "Hey Con-…"she began but paused as she saw Speed. "What's a hobo doing in your room?"

"That's it, I officially think I should get a more presentable disguise," the racer growled, removing his cap again. Lucy's eyes widened as she saw her mistake. "Oh! My gosh, I'm so sorr-" Speed cut her off as she began to apologize. "It's fine. At least the disguise works…" he said, cracking a smile. Lucy grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck.

Connor rescued them from the awkward situation. "Did you need something? I thought you were working on a project…?" he asked curiously. "I did, but it didn't take as long as I thought. I came up here to watch the performance with you, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind," Connor replied, glancing over at Speed. He shrugged. "Fine by me."

Lucy pulled up a chair near the head of Connor's bed and they continued watching the reenactment, only commenting once or twice. Most of it was almost as dramatic as if it was actually happening. They were already near the end of the alpine race, and X had his arm over Speed's shoulders as he pretended to pretend that his legs were injured in his fake accident. Speed had his eyes shut, allowing "the Masked Racer" to lead him back to the Mach 5. It wasn't visible to the audience at all, but Speed's eyes were just barely open so he could see a little bit of the course as X gave him directions.

"Speed, the bridge is out, you can't cross," he warned as they sped towards the half broken bridge that had originally been a crossing. "Tell me when we get near it," Speed replied, speeding up a bit. "No, the brakes! We'll never make it!" X said, his expression imaginably alarmed beneath his mask. Seeing as Speed was ignoring him and refusing to slow down, he waited a bit. "NOW!" Speed boosted the car up with the jacks, landing hard on the bridge and skidding a bit as he sped along it, the planks falling off and into the chasm below right after they drove of them.

Lucy glanced at Speed Sr. "Are you ok?" she asked. He was sitting on his son's bed, gripping the sheets tensely. "Wha'? Oh! Yeah, fine…" he said quickly, only dragging his gaze away from the screen for a split second. "Is that really how it happened?" she wondered out loud, not expecting much of an answer. "Pretty much. I was a stubborn one," Speed answered, smiling. Lucy politely smiled back, watching as Speed Jr. crossed the finish line, the many students acting as the audience cheering wildly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: Violence ahead. (Gun usage, Minor Blood)  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 7.<strong>

Speed jumped as he heard a crash. "What was that?" he said, not to anyone specific. "What was what?" Connor replied to his hero's question first. "I thought I heard something..." Connor shrugged and Lucy thought for a moment. "I don't think I heard anything."

Feeling a bit uneasy, Speed shifted. "I'm going to go check on the Mach 6," he said and walked out of the room. Pulling down his cap a bit just in case he ran into anyone, he headed down to the Mach 6's garage. He paused in the doorway as he saw a dark figure standing beside the car. "Hey!" he snapped, grabbing the man's attention. Startled, the goon turned and shot at him. Speed just barely dodged it, though he wasn't exactly sure what was shot at him. It wasn't a bullet; it looked more like a dart.

"CONNOR!" he yelled at the top of his lungs before running back into the room. The man was ready for him this time, and shot at Speed again. He tried to veer away, but the dart hit him squarely in the shoulder. He grimaced and pulled it off, throwing it on the ground. He rushed at the man, but didn't get far as he begun to feel weaker by the second until his legs finally buckled beneath him and he hit the floor, barely able to look up at the man as he worked on breaking the Mach 6's window with the handle of his gun. The last thing he heard was shattering glass as world blurred until he finally blacked out.

Back up in his dorm, Connor nearly missed the cry. He shot out of bed and fumbled with the door. It got stuck, forcing him to pry it open until he could squeeze through. Nearly falling down the stairs, he ran to the garage, staring into the doorway. Speed Racer was passed out on the ground, the shoulder of his jacket unnaturally crimson as if he was bleeding. A strange man, without a doubt a goon, was breaking into the Mach 6. Connor ran at him, but was too late as he climbed in through the window and drove through a gaping hole in the entryway. Fitting in the pieces, he had a pretty good idea of where that hole came from and why Speed's dad was unconscious on the floor.

"Speed? Speed Racer! Wake up!" Connor exclaimed, his eyes wide as he shook him by the shoulder. He panicked and tried to haul him back up to the dorm, with little luck as he half carried half dragged him across the garage. "Oh man, LUCY!" he yelled, straining himself until his arms were sore. If Speed or X were here, they wouldn't have any problem carrying him. Giving up on any hope of getting him even out of the garage let alone up the stairs, he laid him back down where he was and darted back up to the dorm.

"Luc- Lucy! Y-You g-g-gotta help!" he stammered wildly, not even explaining himself properly before he was back downstairs. Lucy sensed his urgency and followed him, arriving at the scene where Connor had resumed dragging the limp racer. She gasped and began helping, delicately taking Connor's place as he went back to pick up his legs. After what seemed like ten minutes they had him back upstairs and lying on Speed's bed.

"Thank god he's still alive…" Lucy breathed, panting and still a bit stunned. Connor was barely able to nod as he plopped down onto his bed. "What are we gonna tell Speed? More importantly, how are we gonna get back the Mach 6?" Lucy said, not expecting an answer as Connor curled up into a ball on his bed, his back to her. Shaking her head with worry, she got up, taking one of Speed's shirts. She left the dorm, returning several minutes later, the shirt she had taken soaked and dripping. Speed Racer groaned quietly as the anesthetic that was in the dart began to wear off. Connor was watching his hero nervously, hoping that he would be ok.

Lucy took the drenched shirt and rested it on Speed's neck, hoping that it would wake him a bit faster. After about five more minutes, he was struggling to prop himself up on a shoulder while Lucy and Connor began discussing their options. Speed stared at the bed sheets. "I knew the committee would take advantage of this… Everybody is so worried about the play that nobody is guarding the Mach 6, or any of the cars for that matter. They're long gone, and the only thing we can do is get lost in the desert while trying to track them down," he said with a sigh. "We have to do _something_," Lucy urged, but all of them were out of hope and fresh out of ideas. Speed looked off to the side thoughtfully. "The gasless engine in a high tech car, or my life and my sons' father..." he murmured to himself through gritted teeth, trying hard to decide. He and Speed had a close bond, and he knew that even though X hated him for running away, he still loved him. But that car was his dream, and it meant everything to Speed.

If only the car wasn't so important. '_I can't decide without them,_' he thought, putting a hand on his face. Things weren't as simple as they used to be. He didn't even notice Connor and Lucy staring at him, sadness and anxiety flickering in their eyes.

'_And it all started with a dream._'


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8.**

She grinned in satisfaction. "I believe that a promotion is in order for you. Well done," she said as the Mach 6 was presented to her. Who's 'she'? If I told you, she'd have to eliminate you.

The goon stepped out of the car and smiled at his boss's praise. She motioned her hand for him to leave. Promptly, he departed, leaving the shadowy woman alone with the car. She was finally going to learn its secrets. However, as she examined the sleek finish of the car, dismissing the cracked and broken window, she knew the greater use for this intricately designed and sought after hunk of metal; it would bring one, if not several, of the Racer family to her. However, there was one that she would trade almost anything for; the father in hiding.

She wasn't very patient, but the chance to expose the real Speed Racer was something she would wait as long as it took for. She didn't care when, but she wanted him, and fast. She drew her fingertip down the sleek silvery hood, smiling.

She _always _got what she wanted.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9.**

The trio stiffly sat through the rest of the reenactment, horrible thoughts running through their heads.

After several long, painfully slow hours, they were finally nearing the end. For the first time since the Mach 6 had been stolen earlier, Speed paid full attention to the performance. The crowd was cheering wildly as his son brought his victory at the around the world race back to life.

Speed Jr. was having the time of his life, completely unaware of what awaited him back in the school. Dana was standing next to him as he waved at the fake yet enthusiastic crowd of his fellow students. She quietly got his attention. '_Are you sure?_' he mouthed, receiving a tiny nod. He gulped nervously and dropped the trophy, sweeping Trixie off her feet before they locked lips.

Speed Sr. closed his eyes at the memories that one move brought back. He quickly jumped out of his son's bed and stumbled out of the room, propping himself up on the wall in the hallway. His chest quivered as he tried to hold back a wail. Several tears streamed down his face, escaping his eyes. "Trixie…" he whispered, nearly breaking down as he remembered that one day. The one day in his life where in a matter of minutes, he lost everything.

The day he lost his sons.  
>The day he lost Trixie.<br>The day he was forced to abandon them.  
>For a few moments, he let himself mourn, before wiping his face on the sleeve of his jacket and taking a few deep breaths. Slowly, he reentered the dorm, letting himself fall onto his son's bed. Lucy and Connor found it best not to speak as the performance faded to black, signaling its end. Speed and X would be back soon, and they would have to break the news to them.<p>

After about ten more minutes, Speed was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head hung as he thought about what he was going to tell them. He jolted as he heard the door slide open. "…never going to drive next to a cliff _ever_ again," Speed was saying to X as he walked in the door. He was smiling though he was trembling slightly. They were both still in their costumes, though X had removed his mask and Speed's hair was ruffled as if he had tried to smooth it back down without much success.

He blinked as he saw the man sitting on his bed. "Connor? Who's your friend?" he asked stupidly. "Ouch…" Lucy remarked quietly as Speed Racer hung his hung again. "Ok, that hurt… And what's worst? I can't tell if it's a good or a bad thing that my _own son _can't recognize me," he said, half joking as he looked back up at the two. He stood and brushed himself off, but didn't have much time to as Speed attacked him. "Dad!" Smiling, he hugged his son back, but frowned as he continued. "Did you see the performance?"

As his father tried stepped back, Speed let go, confused. "Most of it…" he barely heard him say. Almost at once, he noticed that the shoulder of his jacket was dark red. Alarmed, he backed up a little, nearly bumping into X. "W-What happened? Is that…" he stammered. His father nodded. "The Mach 6 was stolen."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10.**

"No… No, no, no, no, NO!" Speed panicked, his voice steadily growing louder. He never thought he'd see the day; or at least he'd hoped he'd never. Still trying to take in what he'd just been told, he used his dresser to hold himself up as he stared at the floor.

"Speed, calm down. We're gonna get it back," X said, even though he had no idea as to how they were supposed to even get near the car. Suddenly, Connor piped up. "I have an idea!" he announced, puffing out his chest proudly. Speed immediately whipped around, and everyone else stared at the mechanic hopefully.

"Somebody could dress as a goon, and persuade the shadow lady to let them drive the Mach 6 around out in the open to see if they can get Speed to come and get it back," he explained proudly. Speed's face brightened as he thought about it. "You know, that might work… Once it's out in the open, we can take it back!" he said excitedly. His father patted Connor on the back. "You truly are a genius, Connor." Connor blushed and nearly fainted under his hand, though he was broken from the spell as Lucy spoke. "But, who's gonna be the goon?"

"I am," Speed Sr. said, almost daring anyone to challenge him. Speed and X had no choice but to agree with him solemnly. "I have an idea of where they are. Lucy, Connor, you monitor us remotely just in case anything goes wrong. X, I'm going to need to borrow the shooting star. If we take the Mach 5, they'll find out that I'm alive. Speed, X, you two go ask Spritle if he has any extra cars. Don't give away too much information though," he said, the whole scheme planned out in his head. X gave a curt nod and handed over his keys before leaving the room. Speed followed him out, glancing over his shoulder at his father as he passed through the doorway. Connor and Lucy went down to the garage, while Speed began making his way towards X's.

Almost immediately after he started the car, Lucy popped up on the com. He glanced down at her for a moment before driving out of the garage. "If you can get there, I'm pretty sure Zile might be able to get you a disguise," she suggested. Speed changed course, heading towards Zile's tower. He was aware that the man wouldn't be there, but after knocking out a guard or two he'd have what he wanted.

"I think this goes a bit beyond what's allowed," X growled, narrowing his eyes at his uncle. Speed was unfocussed, so X was doing the talking while he mostly stared off into space, his teeth chattering quietly as he imagined what would happen to them if they were caught. "What's so important that I have to bend the rules for? I'm not allowed to loan out cars."

X avoided Headmaster Spritle's burning eyes. "The Mach 6 was stolen." That got his attention. "What happened to the Shooting Star? Can't you use it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. They had come in and asked for _two_ cars, but only one was missing to his knowledge. X's face got pale, and he stuttered as he searched for the right words. "Dad's driving it…" he said, cutting off Spritle quickly as he tried to speak. "Long story no time." The headmaster sighed. "I'll see what I can do."

X nearly had to drag his brother as they followed Spritle out of his office. He just wasn't himself today, probably because of all of the commotion, he figured. After a few visits to dorms, they finally had a car to use. Thankfully, it had a good communication system and they were able to contact Connor. Now that they were on the road, Speed had perked back up and was determined to get back his car. On the com system, their dad looked like a actual goon in his stolen outfit, and it was kind of weird to see him like that. Then again, it was probably weird to see your kid looking almost exactly like you did nearly thirty years ago right down to the gloves and helmet.

"Follow me," he ordered. X pressed the gas to catch up, the Shooting Star just barely in view. Quickly, they veered off of the road, taking shelter in some rocks nearby a ridge. They parked there and got out of the cars. "Speed, take the wheel. X, hide somewhere in the Shooting Star. I have an idea about how to get in," Speed said, his voice slightly muffled by his mask. His sons immediately obeyed as Speed got into the driver's side of their loaned car and X attempted to squeeze in the back of his car. "Remind me to get a trunk before our next mission," he grumbled, looking for something black to drape over himself. It wasn't a very convenient time to be wearing a bright white jumpsuit, and he could only pray that his windows were tinted dark enough that he wouldn't be seen.

Speed Racer walked up to the window of the loaned car. "Speed, wait here but be prepared to go if we need you. Stay hidden," he advised before going back to the Shooting Star. From his days undercover, he had a good enough idea of where they were hiding, and as he headed towards it, he looked for any pointers that might let him know where to go. He could only pray with a heavy heart that the plan would work.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11.**

For once in his life, X was scared. He couldn't remember the last time he had been truly frightened, but not knowing where he was, plus the added pressure of not being able to move or make a sound, made him tense.

His father was a bit tense as well, but it was well hidden and he looked just as presentable as any other goon. The shadow lady had walked up, her entire figure hidden in the shadows. "Well done. If this doesn't bring them to me, nothing will," she said, smiling. "Should I set up a trap?" Speed asked, keeping his voice even. "Excuse me?" the lady asked, her smooth voice coated in irritation. "A trap. Maybe if we drove the Mach 6 around in the open, they would find it. We could drag those brats here and jump them," he said, mildly disgusted with himself at how he had just spoken about X and Speed.

Even when she was barely visible, the lady seemed thoughtful. "Fine. But if we lose that car, you're finished," she said finally, walking away. Keeping a straight face, he found where they were keeping the Mach 6. After a short argument with the goon guarding it, he finally got to be alone with the car. Careful not to cut himself on the shattered remains of glass, he climbed in through the window. Inside, he started it up and drove it smoothly out of the garage area. As he passed the Shooting Star, he revved the engine before continuing out.

X heard engines; the signal that there was nobody around and the Mach 6 was on its way home. Putting on his helmet, he forced himself quietly out of his hiding place and got in the front seat. Immediately, he activated stealth mode. Though he could see the whole car, he knew that to anybody else it was nonexistent. Stiffly, he drove out of the garage after his dad. As soon as they were out of view and out of earshot, they sped up considerably back towards the academy. After a few minutes, they passed Speed's hiding place. As the loaned car joined up next to them, X turned off his camouflage system.

Nobody was sent after them the whole trip back to the academy, making for an eerily quiet drive. They pulled all three cars into the garage and met up back in the Grand Prix building, all of them bewildered.

"Does anybody else think that that was just a tad bit too easy?" X said rhetorically. Speed shrugged. "I'm just glad we got the car back."

"I'm glad too, but it's time for me to go again," their father said, frowning. He always hated having to leave them. He promised himself that he would be able to stay with them for good one day; that usually helped him feel better. "Wow, what a shocker. Never saw that coming…" X mumbled, narrowing his eyes. "Do you know when you might be back?" Speed asked hopefully, ignoring his brother's comment. "I'll try to come to the bigger races if I can," he replied, setting a hand on his shoulder. He smiled, feeling a little better before turning to X. "We better move the cars to the right garages," he said, and X gave a curt nod. As they walked off, Speed looked over his shoulder, waving to his father as he left.

"Do you think he meant that?" he asked X quietly.

After a minute, X nodded. "I do."


End file.
